In this special episode of the In Black and White podcast, we say goodbye and honor, co-host Dr. Terrance Dean.

Dr. Dean passed away suddenly in 2022.

Co-host, Scot Kirk, invites Dr. Dean's friends and colleagues including; Dr. Karen Powell-Sears, Amelia Robinson, Dr. Fareeda Griffith and Christopher Travers to talk about their memories of Dr. Dean and the impact he had on the community.

Dr. Terrance Dean and Scot Kirk sit down with John H. Gregory, Founder of the National Center for Urban Solutions and National African American Male Wellness, along with Kenny Hampton, VP at African American Male Wellness Agency. The pair talked about the work that the organization does and Gregory reflects on his work throughout the years.

Gregory says the reason for starting the organization was to curb Black male unemployment. However, they quickly realized that Black men's health issues were some of the primary causes of Black male unemployment.

To create awareness about the health issues facing Black males the organization started an annual wellness walk. Gregory also says the organization is working hard to reverse the stigma of historically negative treatment of Black people by healthcare professionals.

Hampton adds that COVID-19 exposed many of the underlying health issues affecting Black men. One of the goals of the organization is to encourage more men to prioritize their healthcare needs.

Podcast hosts Dr. Terrance Dean and Scot Kirk speak with Jewel Woods, founder and clinical director of Male Behavioral Health in Columbus, about the impact of COVID-19 on the Black community and particularly Black men and boys.

Pandemic isolation — not to mention the deaths of loved ones from the virus — brought anxiety, trauma and depression to a community that is often shortchanged when it comes to mental health, Woods says.

Woods discusses some steps African American men and boys — and anyone, for that matter — can take to improve mental health, including making an effort to seek out proper treatment as early as possible.

Dr. Terrance Dean and Scot Kirk talk to Columbus physician George W. Barnett Jr., who specializes in family medicine at OhioHealth Physician Group, about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare in the Black community.

Dr. Barnett says COVID exacerbated existing health disparities. With so many people unable to see a primary care doctor during the early months of the pandemic, those communities already disadvantaged in health care access saw higher death rates from COVID and other diseases. Historical factors that sowed distrust in the Black community towards health care providers have created another barrier to better health.

Barnett also emphasizes the importance of having a good relationship with your doctor and finding a physician whom you can trust.

Podcast hosts Dr. Terrance Dean and Scot Kirk speak with Dr. James Moore III, vice provost for diversity and inclusion at Ohio State University, about the impact of COVID-19 on Black college students living on campus.

Moore talks about his work at the Bell National Resource Center for the African American Male and its mission to mitigate some of the barriers preventing Black men from being successful. Moore also says the classroom experiences faced by many Black men amount to "educational malpractice."

In this episode of the "In Black and White" podcast, hosts Dr. Terrance Dean and Scot Kirk talk to Dr. Donna Ford, distinguished professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State University, about school programs designed for gifted students and why many children of color are missing out.

Ford said too often Black and Brown students are far more likely to be overlooked and excluded for gifted programs compared to white students. She also said teachers need to have higher expectations for all the children in their classrooms regardless of the students' backgrounds.

Ford also discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted students of color, exacerbating already existing inequalities in our education system.

A major change is coming to how Columbus chooses its City Council members. Two years from now, nine districts will be created, each represented by a council member, with winners for all of the districts chosen in a citywide vote. Candidates must live in the district they wish to represent.

To explain the change, In Black and White podcast host Scot Kirk along with Dr. Terrance Dean talked to Columbus City Councilmember Emmanuel Remy and City of Columbus legal counsel Niyah Walters.

In Black and White podcast hosts Dr. Terrance Dean and Scot Kirk talk to Columbus artist Queen Brooks about her most recent works, which were inspired by the pandemic and by the current social and political turmoil in the United States.

Brooks — whose works comprise drawings, paintings, print making and mixed media — said she wants to create pieces that foster hope in these troubled times. She also reflects on her career as an artist, and why she finds inspiration in the talents of today's younger artists.

Finally, Brooks gives advice on collecting art for those just starting out, or those who don't have a lot of money but want to expand their collections.